Fireworks Being Used As Weapons

[ANGELFIRE1 10]

Having animals I would go for an outright ban. But to be fair to those that a actually like these explosives, why not a bit of a compromise, only to be used on the 5th November. Usage on any other day to be made an illegal act. At least then people would have an opportunity to try and take measures to safeguard their animals on this one day.

 

Angel1.

[Guest makapaka]

33 minutes ago, ANGELFIRE1 said:

Having animals I would go for an outright ban. But to be fair to those that a actually like these explosives, why not a bit of a compromise, only to be used on the 5th November. Usage on any other day to be made an illegal act. At least then people would have an opportunity to try and take measures to safeguard their animals on this one day.

 

Angel1.

I think this is a good idea. 
 

maybe relax it for organised festivals altogether so they can be arranged to suit but any private displays only on 5th.

[Chaddamp 0]

so many incidences because of bad parenting

[Top Cats Hat 10]

They don’t need to be banned, just better regulated.

 

If they were only sold at recognised outlets (not supermarkets and corner shops) on production of photo ID and a form to fill in saying where you intend to use them, and possibly a brief test of firework safety good practice, then that would do a lot to reduce the casual, antisocial use of fireworks.

 

In Ireland, where fireworks sales have been banned for decades since the ‘Troubles’, there has always been a plentiful supply of illegally imported Chinese fireworks around Halloween and New Year.

 

Keep fireworks legal and well regulated rather than illegal and unregulated.

[lottiecass 17]

Regulation could work but policing it would be difficult.

[Top Cats Hat 10]

2 hours ago, lottiecass said:

Regulation could work but policing it would be difficult.

You wouldn’t need to police it if you stopped selling fireworks in shops and supermarkets and only sold them through approved outlets on production of ID. 
 

Most of the scroats who are chucking these things about in the street just wouldn’t bother if they had to put some effort into buying them.

[*_ash_* 88]

5 hours ago, ANGELFIRE1 said:

Having animals I would go for an outright ban. But to be fair to those that a actually like these explosives, why not a bit of a compromise, only to be used on the 5th November. Usage on any other day to be made an illegal act. At least then people would have an opportunity to try and take measures to safeguard their animals on this one day.

 

Angel1.

 

5 hours ago, makapaka said:

I think this is a good idea. 
 

maybe relax it for organised festivals altogether so they can be arranged to suit but any private displays only on 5th.

It's already illegal to throw them in the street/use as weapons, and that is what is being argued.

 

Also what about new year? banned then too?

 

Some other festivals are allowed use at night too, but can't remember which. Diwali and Chinese new year (just looked it up again)

 

 

 

 

Edited November 6, 2019 by *_ash_*
updated

[*_ash_* 88]

-

 

looking at this, wording on the Firework law, would an adjustment help?

 

original:

Buying fireworks

You can only buy fireworks (including sparklers) from registered sellers for private use on these dates:

• 15 October to 10 November
• 26 to 31 December
• 3 days before Diwali and Chinese New Year

At other times you can only buy fireworks from licensed shops.

 

idea:

 

Buying fireworks

You can only buy fireworks from licensed shops.

 

-

 

And have stricter rules for licensed shops? (edit: added: 'that may sell other things too') - in other words, like in USA you have to buy drugs with IDs

 

 

Just a quick thought, I haven't thought much into it, I only just read that.

 

 

Edited November 6, 2019 by *_ash_*
added some more to this quick thought

[Waldo 96]

As a dog owner (who's been terrified out of her skin the last few days), I'd be happy to see them banned for personal use by the general public, and only allowed at properly organised events. Next door neighbour had some extremely loud and disturbing fireworks. Should not be legal (to set off in someone's back garden) IMO.

[DerbyTup 10]

On 06/11/2019 at 08:33, wornout53 said:

Fireworks can be fun....they can be pretty and enjoyable but the fact is that they are explosives. They have to ban the sale to the general public before areas of cities become no go areas at this time of year due to mindless idiots using them as dangerous weapons.

Animals, pets  farm animals and wildlife are frightened by them as are vulnerable people e.g. people with autism, PTSD and the elderly. 

I am not a kill joy but as a child bonfire night was just that...it was one night when families got together for food and fun and fireworks. Now it goes on for weeks and turns areas into virtual war zones. 

When I was a kid we used to take fireworks around with us on Halloween for "Trick or Treat" purposes.  Anyone who failed to give us some money (because it was about money then, not about sweets, and we didn't used to dress up in daft "scary" costumes, we just had a turnip with a face carved in it and a little candle burning inside) got the "Trick".  The trick was, shoving a lit banger through their letter box.   I've also lobbed a lit "jumping jack" down someone's gennel  aimed "Air Bomb repeaters" at folks's houses and set rockets off horizontally down the road to chase cars.   These were common practices in the village where I grew up as a kid.   It was great fun!  Very wrong of course - but great fun all the same.  

 

I'm glad I have matured into a fine, upstanding, public-spirited citizen and a pillar of the local community.  😃

 

 

Edited November 7, 2019 by DerbyTup

[nightrider 13]

On 05/11/2019 at 23:19, Fudbeer said:

Sainsburys have now stopped  selling them a decision I fully commend and hopefully others will follow  but there are loads of these "questionable" pop up shops that come along every year selling some expensive potentially dangerous explosives  time to ban them away from events.

There is one in Walkley too that has appeared.

On 05/11/2019 at 22:02, onewheeldave said:

Going down Barber Rd to Sainsburies earlier tonight, I saw an incident where several youths were launching fireworks across the road, apparently aiming them at a shop. There was a small crowd of students in front of me who were being held up, clearly fearful of walking ahead due to the fact that powerful fireworks where being launched horizontally and exploding in the road. As it calmed down and I continued towards Sainsburies, looking up the side road where they had run to, there was a firework going off under a car!

Two nights ago, I was on the Wicker- again there were several large explosions up in front, people looking rightfully scared. Someone had aimed fireworks into one of the shops and was now banging on the door that had been closed, seemingly deranged and obviously had some issue with the shop owner.

I don't really go out much at night this time of year, so the fact that I've seen two seperate instances of fireworks being used as weapons, suggests that this is more common than you'd suppose?

Has anyone else encountered this kind of thing this year?

It's sickening to think what would have happened if someone had been stood in the middle of it- these were not small explosions- these are instances of fireworks being used as firearms.

Did someone call the police? Those youths are effectively threatening the public with projectile explosive weapons - something the police should come down on hard and fast in my opinion.

[Reesh2052 10]

When we were young people used to come together as a community and have a locally organised Bonfire on wasteland or a park etc, it wasn't too long ago when we actually had one we organised in the community (with all the regulations adhered to) which received SCC funding. When we organised them as kids, parents took responsibility of their kids and set off fireworks sensibly, us kids collected firewood, guarded the fire with our lives before the night, raised money with "proper Guy Fawkes" in the street, before burning them on the fire. Perhaps they were halcyon days but alot better.

We used to get the biggest, oldest looking kid to buy our Bangers and "Jumpin' Jacks" and mess about in the street but these idiots nowadays have no place in society. You can't ban  Fireworks  to be honest, like others in this forum there will just be more black market purchases. However Police could attempt to catch the perpetrators of these crimes,  and the Courts could dish out appropriate sentences in line with Explosive charges/Firearms offences, affray, riot, endangering life, attempted murder, GBH, ABH etc. So start the sentences around 2 to 4 years and escalate them in line with seriousness.